Hot-water supply heat exchanger provided with a mixing valve, and adaptor having a built-in mixing valve

ABSTRACT

A hot-water supply heat exchanger having a mixing valve and a mixing valve integrated adopter are provided to facilitate control of hot water temperature with a simplified pipe structure. A hot-water supply heat exchanger comprises a heat exchange part ( 100 ), a heating water inlet ( 212 ), a heating water outlet ( 214 ), a cold water inlet ( 222 ), a hot water outlet ( 224 ), and a mixing valve ( 230 ). The heat exchange part allows heat exchange between hot water provided from a main heat exchanger ( 20 ) with cold water. The heating water inlet draws hot water into the heat exchanger. The to heating water outlet discharges the hot water heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger. 
     The cold water inlet draws the cold water into the heat exchange part. The hot water outlet discharges the cold water that is heat-exchanged with heating water in the heat exchange part. The mixing valve mixes the hot water discharged through the hot water outlet with cold water provided from the cold water inlet.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a hot-water supply heat exchangerprovided with a mixing valve and an adapter having a built-in mixingvalve, and more particularly, to a hot-water supply heat exchangerhaving a mixing valve and an adapter integrated with a mixing valvecapable of facilitating control of a temperature of hot water with asimplified structure.

BACKGROUND ART

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a conventional heating/hotwater-combined instant boiler, and FIG. 2 is a perspective viewschematically showing an appearance of a conventional hot-water supplyheat exchanger.

First, when a heating mode is performed, a circulation pump 10 isoperated to convey heating water. The heating water is heated in a mainheat exchanger 20 by combustion heat of a burner 21, and then conveyedto a place to be heated via a three-way valve 30, performing heating.Returned heating water, which is heat exchanged and cooled at the placeto be heated, is conveyed to the main heat exchanger 20 via an expansiontank 50 and the circulation pump 10 to be re-heated. Reference numeral22 represents a blower.

Meanwhile, when a hot water mode is performed, the three-way valve 30blocks a path connected to the place to be heated and opens a pathconnected to a hot-water supply heat exchanger 40 to convey heatingwater heated in the main heat exchanger 20 to the hot-water supply heatexchanger 40. The hot-water supply heat exchanger 40 heat-exchanges coldwater with the heating water to supply hot water to a place where hotwater is to be used.

Referring to FIG. 2, the hot-water supply heat exchanger 40 has astructure in which a plurality of thin plates are coupled to each otherin a stacked structure and heat exchange is performed between heatingwater and cold water in an inner space of the stacked structure.

A pipe 41 connected to the three-way valve 30 is connected to one sideof the hot-water supply heat exchanger 40, i.e., an inlet side intowhich the heating water is introduced, and a pipe 42 connected to aheating pipe 45 through which returned heating water flows is coupled toan outlet side through which the heating water is discharged after heatexchange with the cold water.

In addition, a pipe 43 is coupled to an inlet side of the hot-watersupply heat exchanger 40 into which cold water is introduced, and a pipe44 is coupled to an outlet side through which hot water generated byheating the cold water is discharged.

The hot water heated by the hot-water supply heat exchanger is suppliedto a user at a place where hot water is to be used. Here, since the hotwater is directly supplied to the user immediately after being heated bythe hot-water supply heat exchanger 40, it is difficult to control atemperature of the hot water.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

In order to solve the foregoing and/or other problems, it is an aspectof the present invention to provide hot-water supply heat exchangerprovided with a mixing valve and an adapter having a built-in mixingvalve capable of facilitating control of a temperature of hot water witha simplified structure.

Technical Solution

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention may beachieved by providing a hot-water supply heat exchanger including a heatexchange part 100 configured to heat-exchange heating water suppliedfrom a main heat exchanger 20 with cold water; a heating water inlet 212configured to introduce the heating water into the heat exchange part100; a heating water outlet 214 configured to discharge the heatingwater after heat exchange with the cold water in the heat exchange part100; a cold water inlet 222 configured to introduce the cold water intothe heat exchange part 100; a hot water outlet 224 configured todischarge hot water generated by heat-exchanging the cold water with theheating water in the heat exchange part 100; and a mixing valve 230configured to mix cold water introduced from the cold water inlet 222with the hot water discharged through the hot water outlet 224.

In addition, another aspect of the present invention may be achieved byproviding an adapter integrated with a mixing valve including: anadapter 220 integrated with a cold water inlet 222 configured tointroduce cold water into a heat exchange part 100, in which heatingwater supplied from a main heat exchanger 20 is heat-exchanged with thecold water, and a hot water outlet 224 configured to discharge hot watergenerated by heat-exchanging the cold water with the heating water inthe heat exchange part 100; and a mixing valve 230 integrated with theadapter 220 to mix cold water introduced from the cold water inlet 222with the hot water discharged through the hot water outlet 224.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, a mixing valve is provided to mixcold water introduced from a cold water inlet with hot water dischargedthrough a hot water outlet, enabling easy temperature control of the hotwater.

In addition, since the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet areintegrally formed with a second adapter connected to a heat exchangepart and the mixing valve is integrally formed with the second adapter,a pipe connecting structure becomes very simple.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent and more readily appreciated from the followingdescription of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a conventional heating/hotwater-combined instant boiler;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing appearance of aconventional hot-water supply heat exchanger;

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a structure of a hot-water supplysystem including a hot-water supply heat exchanger of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connecting structure of thehot-water supply heat exchanger and an adapter in accordance with anexemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a first adapter;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of the firstadapter shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of the firstadapter shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a second adapter;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E of the secondadapter shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F of the secondadapter shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the second adapterintegrated with a mixing valve of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of a heatexchange part shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of the heatexchange part shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which thefirst adapter is coupled to the heat exchange part;

FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which thesecond adapter is coupled to the heat exchange part;

FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing flows of heatingwater and cold water in a state in which a structure of the heatexchanger shown in FIG. 14 and a structure of the heat exchanger shownin FIG. 15 are coupled to each other.

<Description of Major Reference Numerals> 100: Heat exchange part 101,102, 103, 104, 111, 112, 113, 114: Partition plate 102a, 103a, 114a,102b, 103b, 112b, 113b: Heating water passage hole 103c, 104c, 113c,114c, 103d, 104d, 111d, 112d: Cold water passage hole 121: Firstconnecting member 122: Second connecting member 123: Third connectingmember 124: Fourth connecting member 131: First heating watercirculation path 132: Second heating water circulation path 133: Firstcold water circulation path 134: Second cold water circulation path 210:First adapter 220: Second adapter 211, 221: Body 212: Heating waterinlet 213, 223: Inlet extension 214: Heating water outlet 215, 225:Water feed valve connecting port 216: Returned heating water connectingport 222: Cold water inlet 224: Hot water outlet 230: Mixing valve 231:Valve unit 232: Drive unit 300: Water feed valve 400: Flow rate sensor

MODE FOR INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a structure of a hot-water supplysystem including a hot-water supply heat exchanger of the presentinvention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connectingstructure of the hot-water supply heat exchanger and an adapter inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.Reference numerals of like elements of the conventional art will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

A hot-water supply heat exchanger 1 of the present invention includes aheat exchange part 100 configured to heat-exchange heating watersupplied from a main heat exchanger 20 with cold water, a heating waterinlet 212 configured to introduce the heating water into the heatexchange part 100, a heating water outlet 214 configured to dischargethe heating water after heat exchange with the cold water in the heatexchange part 100, a cold water inlet 222 configured to introduce thecold water into the heat exchange part 100, a hot water outlet 224configured to discharge hot water generated by heat-exchanging the coldwater with the heating water in the heat exchange part 100, and a mixingvalve 230 configured to mix cold water introduced from the cold waterinlet 222 with the hot water discharged through the hot water outlet224.

The heat exchange part 100 has a path through which heating water flowsand a path through which cold water flows, which are isolated from eachother with a plurality of partition plates interposed therebetween. Hotheating water and cold water are heat-exchanged with each other throughthe partition plates.

A first adapter 210 and a second adapter 220 are coupled to the heatexchange part 100.

The heating water inlet 212 and the heating water outlet 214 areintegrally formed with the first adapter 210, and a water feed valveconnecting port 215 and a returned heating water connecting port 216 arealso formed at the first adapter 210.

The heating water inlet 212 is connected to a three-way valve 30 tointroduce heating water supplied from the main heat exchanger 20 intothe heat exchange part 100 in a hot water mode.

The heating water is heat-exchanged with the cold water in the heatexchange part 100, discharged through the heating water outlet 214, andthen joined with returned heating water to flow toward a circulationpump 10.

The water feed valve connecting port 215 is connected to a water feedvalve 300 configured to supply supplement water into a heating pipe. Thewater feed valve 300 is coupled to between the first adapter 210 and thesecond adapter 220.

The returned heating water connecting port 216 is configured tointroduce the returned heating water heat-exchanged and cooled at aplace to be heated, and the returned heating water introduced into thefirst adapter 210 through the returned heating water connecting port 216is discharged to the heating water outlet 214 to flow toward thecirculation pump 10.

The cold water inlet 222, the hot water outlet 224 and a water feedvalve connecting port 225 are integrally formed with the second adapter220.

The cold water inlet 222 is configured to introduce cold water, and thecold water introduced through the cold water inlet 222 is introducedinto the heat exchange part 100 to exchange heat with the heating water.

The cold water introduced into the heat exchange part 100 isheat-exchanged with the heating water in the heat exchange part 100 tobecome hot water, and the hot water is discharged to a place where thehot water is used through the hot water outlet 224.

A flow rate sensor 400 is installed on a path through which the coldwater is introduced, and the flow rate sensor 400 detects a flow of thecold water to determine whether it is the hot water mode.

The water feed valve connecting port 225 is connected to the water feedvalve 300. When the water feed valve 300 is opened to supply supplementwater into the heating pipe, the hot water heated in the heat exchangepart 100 sequentially passes through the water feed valve connectingport 225 of the second adapter 220 and the water feed valve 300, isintroduced into the water feed valve connecting port 215 of the firstadapter 210 to be mixed with the returned heating water in the firstadapter 210, and then flows to the heating water outlet 214.

The water feed valve 300 is configured to additionally supply heatingwater when the heating water is insufficient in the heating pipe. Whilethe conventional art to has a separate pipe structure configured toconnect a water feed valve to a heating pipe, in the present invention,the water feed valve connecting ports 215 and 225 integrated with thefirst adapter 210 and the second adapter 220 are provided to simplify apipe structure.

A mixing valve 230 configured to mix the cold water introduced from thecold water inlet 222 with the hot water discharged through the hot wateroutlet 224 is provided. When the mixing valve 230 is opened, the coldwater is mixed with the hot water discharged through the hot wateroutlet 224 to enable easy temperature control of the hot water.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the first adapter, FIG. 6 is across-sectional view taken along line C-C of the first adapter shown inFIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of thefirst adapter shown in FIG. 5.

The first adapter 210 has a cylindrical body 211. The heating waterinlet 212, the heating water outlet 214, the water feed valve connectingport 215 and the returned heating water connecting port 216 project froman outer circumference of the body 211 at predetermined intervals in acircumferential direction thereof.

An inlet extension 213 having one end connected to the heating waterinlet 212 and the other end connected to a first connecting member 121(see FIG. 10) is formed in the body 211.

The end of the inlet extension 213 is coupled to the first connectingmember 121 to be connected to a heating water circulation path in theheat exchange part 100. A space 211 a through which the heating watercirculated in the heat exchange part 100 flows is formed between theinlet extension 213 and an inner circumference of the body 211.

Accordingly, a path (the inlet extension 213) through which the heatingwater is introduced and a path (the space 211 a) through which theheating water is discharged are disposed in parallel and concentricallyin the body 211.

The returned heating water connecting port 216 is connected to theheating pipe through which the returned heating water flows. Thereturned heating water introduced through the returned heating waterconnecting port 216 is supplied to the circulation pump 10 through theheating water outlet 214.

According to the above-mentioned structure, since the heating waterinlet 212, to the heating water outlet 214, the water feed valveconnecting port 215 and the returned heating water connecting port 216are integrally formed with the adapter 210, a pipe structure connectedthereto can be simplified.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the second adapter, FIG. 9 is across-sectional view taken along line E-E of the second adapter shown inFIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F ofthe second adapter shown in FIG. 8.

The second adapter 220 has a body 221, and the cold water inlet 222, aninlet extension 223, the hot water outlet 224, the water feed valveconnecting port 225 and the mixing valve 230 project from an outercircumference of the body 221 at predetermined intervals in acircumferential direction thereof.

The inlet extension 223 is installed in the body 221 to be connected tothe cold water inlet 222 at its one end and coupled to a secondconnecting member 122 (see FIG. 11) at the other end.

The body 221, the cold water inlet 222, the inlet extension 223 and thehot water outlet 224 have the same shapes as the first adapter 210.

A through-hole 222 a is formed in the cold water inlet 222 tocommunicate with the inside of the hot water outlet 224. The mixingvalve 230 includes a valve unit 231 configured to open and close thethrough-hole 222 a, and a drive unit 232 configured to drive the openingand closing of the valve unit 231. Accordingly, when the valve unit 231is opened by the drive unit 232, the cold water is mixed with the hotwater through the through-hole 222 a to enable temperature adjustment ofthe hot water.

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the second adapterintegrated with the mixing valve of the present invention.

The cold water inlet 222, the hot water outlet 224 and the water feedvalve connecting port 225 are integrally formed with the body 221 of thesecond adapter 220, and the mixing valve 230 is integrally coupled tothe body 221 of the second adapter 220.

A through-hole 222 a is formed in the cold water inlet 222, and thevalve unit 231 of the mixing valve 230 configured to open and close thethrough-hole 222 a is connected to the drive unit 232.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the heatexchange part shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view takenalong line B-B of the heat exchange part shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 14 is aschematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the firstadapter is coupled to the heat exchange part, FIG. 15 is a schematiccross-sectional view showing a state in which the second adapter iscoupled to the heat exchange part, and FIG. 16 is a schematiccross-sectional view showing flows of heating water and cold water in astate in which a structure of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 14 and astructure of the heat exchanger shown in FIG. 15 are coupled to eachother.

The heat exchange part 100 has a structure in which a plurality ofpartition plates 101, 102, 103, 104, 111, 112, 113 and 114 are stacked.The partition plates 101, 102, 103, 104, 111, 112, 113 and 114 become aheat transfer surface in which heat exchange between heating water andcold water is performed. The stacked structure is formed by bendingedges of thin plates and welding the edges of the neighboring partitionplates.

Spaces formed between the partition plates constitute heating watercirculation paths 131 and 132 and cold water circulation paths 133 and134.

The heating water circulation paths 131 and 132 through which theheating water flows and the cold water circulation paths 133 and 134through which the cold water flows are blocked by the partition plates101, 102, 103, 104, 111, 112, 113 and 114 so that the heating water andthe cold water flow without mixing.

The heating water introduced into the heat exchange part 100sequentially passes through the first heating water circulation path 131and the second heating water circulation path 132 to exchange heat withthe cold water passing through the first cold water circulation path 133and the second cold water circulation path 134, and then is dischargedtoward the returned heating water through the first adapter 210.

In addition, the cold water introduced into the heat exchange part 100sequentially passes through the first cold water circulation path 133and the second cold water circulation path 134 to exchange heat with theheating water passing through the first heating water circulation path131 and the second heating water circulation path 132, and then issupplied to the place where hot water is to be used through the secondadapter 220.

A heating water passage hole 114 a and a cold water passage hole 114 care formed in the partition plate 114, into which the first adapter 210and the second adapter to 220 are inserted and coupled, among thepartition plates.

A cylindrical third connecting member 123 into which the first adapter210 is inserted and coupled is coupled to the heating water passage hole114 a, and a cylindrical fourth connecting member 124 into which thesecond adapter 220 is inserted and coupled is coupled to the cold waterpassage hole 114 c.

Paths of the heating water and the cold water will be described withreference to FIGS. 14 to 16.

When the three-way valve 30 is shifted to the hot water mode, theheating water heated in the main heat exchanger 20 is supplied toward ahot-water supply heat exchanger 1, while a flow to the place to beheated is blocked, and then introduced into the heating water inlet 212and the inlet extension 213 of the first adapter 210.

The heating water introduced into the first adapter 210 sequentiallypasses through the first heating water circulation path 131 and thesecond heating water circulation path 132 of the heat exchange part 100to exchange heat with the cold water flowing through the first coldwater circulation path 133 and the second cold water circulation path134 to be cooled, and then is discharged to an expansion tank 50 throughthe heating water outlet 214.

Simultaneously, the cold water is introduced into the cold water inlet222 and the inlet extension 223 of the second adapter 220. The coldwater introduced into the second adapter 220 sequentially passes throughthe first cold water circulation path 133 and the second cold watercirculation path 134 of the heat exchange part 100 to exchange heat withthe heating water flowing through the first heating water circulationpath 131 and the second heating water circulation path 132 to become hotwater, and then is discharged to the place where hot water is to be usedthrough the hot water outlet 224.

In this case, in order to adjust a temperature of the hot water, themixing valve 230 is operated. That is, when the valve unit 231 isoperated by the drive unit 232 to open the through-hole 222 a, the coldwater is mixed with the hot water through the through-hole 222 a. Here,when a moving amount of the valve unit 231 is controlled, an amount ofthe cold water mixed with the hot water is adjusted to enabletemperature adjustment of the hot water.

Meanwhile, when the three-way valve 30 is shifted to a heating mode, theto heating water supplied to the place to be heated performs a heatexchange process, and then is returned toward the circulation pump 10.In the present invention, the heating water returned toward thecirculation pump 10 is introduced into the returned heating waterconnecting port 216 of the first adapter 210 to pass through the heatingwater outlet 214, and then returned toward the circulation pump 10through the expansion tank 50.

If the heating water is insufficient in the heating pipe, the water feedvalve 300 is opened to supplement heating water. The water feed valve300 is installed between the water feed valve connecting port 215 of thefirst adapter 210 and the water feed valve connecting port 225 of thesecond adapter 220. Accordingly, when the water feed valve 300 isopened, some of the hot water in the body 221 of the second adapter 220sequentially passes through the water feed valve connecting port 215 andthe outlet 214 of the first adapter 210 via the water feed valveconnecting port 225 to be supplied to the heating pipe at a returnedwater side.

The foregoing description concerns an exemplary embodiment of theinvention, is intended to be illustrative, and should not be construedas limiting the invention. The present teachings can be readily appliedto other types of devices and apparatuses. Many alternatives,modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the presentinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A hot-water supply heat exchanger comprising: a heat exchange part(100) configured to heat-exchange heating water supplied from a mainheat exchanger (20) with cold water; a heating water inlet (212)configured to introduce the heating water into the heat exchange part(100); a heating water outlet (214) configured to discharge the heatingwater after heat exchange with the cold water in the heat exchange part(100); a cold water inlet (222) configured to introduce the cold waterinto the heat exchange part (100); a hot water outlet (224) configuredto discharge hot water generated by heat-exchanging the cold water withthe heating water in the heat exchange part (100); and a mixing valve(230) configured to mix cold water introduced from the cold water inlet(222) with the hot water discharged through the hot water outlet (224).2. The hot-water supply heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein theheating water inlet (212) and the heating water outlet (214) areintegrally formed with a first adapter (210) coupled to one side of theheat exchange part (100), the cold water inlet (222) and the hot wateroutlet (224) are integrally formed with a second adapter (220) coupledto the other side of the heat exchange part (100), and the mixing valve(230) is integrally formed with the second adapter (220).
 3. Thehot-water supply heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein athrough-hole (222 a) is formed in the cold water inlet (222) tocommunicate with the inside of the hot water outlet (224), and themixing valve (230) is constituted by a valve unit (231) configured toopen and close the through-hole (222 a) and a drive unit (232)configured to drive the opening and closing of the valve unit (231). 4.The hot-water supply heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein aninlet extension (213) connected to the heating water inlet (212) to passthrough a side portion of a body (211) and connected to heating watercirculation paths (131, 132) in the heat exchange part (100) through aninner space of the body (211) is formed at the first adapter (210), andthe heating water heat-exchanged in the heat exchange part (100) isreturned to a heating pipe through the heating water outlet (214) of thefirst adapter (210) via the inlet extension (213) of the first adapter(210).
 5. The hot-water supply heat exchanger according to claim 2 or 4,wherein a returned heating water connecting port (216) into whichreturned heating water cooled after circulating a place to be heated isintroduced is formed at the side portion of the body (211) of the firstadapter (210), and the returned heating water introduced through thereturned heating water connecting port (216) is discharged through theheating water outlet (214) of the first adapter (210).
 6. The hot-watersupply heat exchanger according to claim 2 or 4, wherein water feedvalve connecting ports (215, 225) connected to a water feed valve (300)are formed at side portions of the bodies (211, 221) of the firstadapter (210) and the second adapter (220), and when the water feedvalve (300) is opened to supplement heating water into a heating pipe ofa boiler, hot water passing through cold water circulation paths (133,134) in the heat exchange part (100) sequentially passes the water feedvalve connecting port (225) of the second adapter (220), the water feedvalve (300), and the water feed valve connecting port (215) of the firstadapter (210), and then, is supplied to the heating pipe.
 7. An adapterintegrated with a mixing valve comprising: an adapter (220) integratedwith a cold water inlet (222) configured to introduce cold water into aheat exchange part (100), in which heating water supplied from a mainheat exchanger (20) is heat-exchanged with the cold water, and a hotwater outlet (224) configured to discharge hot water generated byheat-exchanging the cold water with the heating water in the heatexchange part (100); and a mixing valve (230) integrated with theadapter (220) to mix cold water introduced from the cold water inlet(222) with the hot water discharged through the hot water outlet (224).8. The adapter integrated with a mixing valve according to claim 7,wherein a to through-hole (222 a) is formed in the cold water inlet(222) to communicate with the inside of the hot water outlet (224), andthe mixing valve (230) is constituted by a valve unit (231) configuredto open and close the through-hole (222 a) and a drive unit (232)configured to drive the opening and closing of the valve unit (231).